LordKreif

I just purchased an Escport Passport 8500 radar detector. I had a few questions about it that I hope you guys with experience can help me with.

I have a 1998 Acura CL 3.0 (all stock, for now). I'm a knowledgable person with techinical stuff (a/v, wirings, etc). I've never gone into my car to wire anything, but I want to try if I can.

1. How do I pass the power wire down from my radar dectector to my fuse box? (Which fuse box should I use?)

2. I have a small display add on which will mount somewhere on my dashboard. Any suggestions for where to mount it, with what, and how to run the wires best? Smart Wire
I have an extra little panel to the right of my digital clock. If that would be a good option..

3. My car has the factory issue tinting, nothing extra added. Whats the best mounting location ? Under the rearview (with my EZPASS) or low to the dashboard?

Nato

are radar detectors legal in the states?

LordKreif

They're legal in all but Virgina and Washington DC. Possibly Connecticut, but I'm not 100%. I knwo they're legal where I am

Hobo

if they arent, you can use the "its for show purposes only" line

LordKreif

Anyone have any answers?

97Acura3.0CL

you can pick any fuse but i would wire it to a 30 or 25 amp fuse, that should be plenty if you want to be on the safe side, you can gget a fuse wire that have a wire with a fuse holder that you can put your own fuses in for things, i have one for my interior neons, and then run the wire to your location and wire up, grounding you can ground anywhere that have a bolt/nut

LordKreif

Thats a possibility. What about the connection to fuse that is only on with the ignition? how can I tell?

shmookles

Does anyone have a good link to a step by step of hard wiring the passport 8500 to a fuse?

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

i have the same model and all i do is plug mine in the cigerette lighter.

shmookles

i want to hardwire it!

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Sooooooooooooo, do like Joe said above and wire it into the fuse box, just use a higher amp fuse. Remove the pillar, and run the wire cleanly down that.

SwervinCL

Find a fuse that turns on and off with the ignition that way it is not always on. I tried wiring mine to the above lights and the only thing about that is that it was always on. No biggie, but it could drain the battery in time. I HATE wires so i have my radar detector right next to my rearview mirror. The wire runs down the headliner and then down the front left pillar down to my fuse box. Ill take a picture tonight and post it. Its really easy to do. I didnt want it sitting right in the middle of my window for all to see. Plus i have aglare strip on my front window so you cant see it from outside the car. You dont even notice it on the inside unless you hear it beap....

As to where to mount the aux display. i would mount it inbetween my steering wheel and my gauges.

ajbent86

i know this is bringing this thead back from the dead...........but i picked up a new x50 today. I am planning on buying the hardwire kit as well. I have a 98 CL. Does anyone know if the blank where the fog light switch would go is big enough to dremmel out so the smartdisplay can fit in it??

ajtcl

I wouldn't do that if you ever intend on selling it.

But if you want to modifiy it, you can use the dremel. With a dremel, you can do anything.

ajbent86

accually i was gonna buy an extra blank from acuraautomotiveparts.org..............I havnt bought the hardwire kit yet, i want to know if anyone thinks it would fit.

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

why are you hardwiring it, you can just plug it into your ciggerette lighter???

ajbent86

but then you have a cable running up to it. The hardwire kit lets your run the cable up the A piller and under the headliner to the dector, that way it looks very clean.

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

i realize that, but it doesnt seem worth the trouble.

ajbent86

i plan on keeping this car untill it dies.........so yes

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

well thats good, so am i, but i have the same radar detector and it looks fine in my interior, i hardly notice its there. the detector was expensive enough i wouldnt feel like spending more money on something that works the same/

SwervinCL

Visable wires are ghetto. First of all its not that hard. second of all it looks A LOT better. It took me 10 whole minutes to hardwire mine in.

SwervinCL

You dont really need to buy the hard wire kit. Just cut the cord right after the cigarrette llighter part. If you wire it though the fuse box, you are gonna have a fuse. Thats all your really paying for on the hardwire kit is the inline fuse. There is a fuse in the cigarrette lighter.

cuc36

I think the whole point to this board is to show off the things that we do to our CL's that we deem "worth the trouble." See: working with fiberglass.

Just my

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

fair enough, but i would just rather use what the kit came with and just plug and play.

ajbent86

soooo, uhhhhh.........after all this arugment, does anyone know the answer to my orginal question??

SwervinCL

Can you read?

ajbent86

i sure can, but nobody has spoken up as to if it is too big or anything...........i dont have the hardwire kit yet, so i have no clue as to what the size of the smartdisplay is......

SwervinCL

Oh, Sorry. I didnt know thats the answer you were lookin for. Measure the display then measure the opening. I have no idea how big the display is.

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

well my last statement regarding this thread is, are u just gonna use the radar detector for your car, will it ever be in someone else or use it if your driving someone elses car. the main reason im keeping the chord is because i drive cars all the time for my job and use it in my friends cars and things like that. just something to think about.

SwervinCL

If that were the case then I would buy another adapter that you can use in your lighter. Then hardwire the one for your car.

Bigpimpin18

ok I have the same thing on my car with the hardwire remote.
1. I ran mine through the side a-pillar, it just pulls off
2. I mounted my remote on my gauge pod, to the right of my tachometer.
3. My window's are tinted to 35%. and I have it in my upper left hand corner about eye level on my windshield!

The remoteisn't that big it's about 1/2" tall x 1" wide x 3/4" Deep

ajbent86

do you have a 97 or 98/99 CL?? if you have a 98/98.........do you think the remote display would fit in the blank where the fog light switch is suposta go??

klepto

I have my v1 harwired and I also have the concealed display. I have the main unit mounted right next to my rearview, the wire goes up, hidded btwn my windshield and headliner, goes down through the A-pillar, and then down to the fuse box. The concealed unit it mounted right on top of my steering colum, the wires for that are hidden behind the plastic covering under the steering wheel down to the fuse box.

SwervinCL

Exactly how mine is. But not the v1 part. Justin, can the v1 still pick up behind you mounted in that location?

Bigpimpin18

I have a 97 and I don't have a foglight switch

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

klepto

yea, it isnt obstructed, it still has a clear view front and back, I just mounted it as close to rear view as I could. You cant really see it from teh drivers side which is good because one time I got pulled over for no front plate and didnt have time to take teh v1 down and the cop couldnt see it, wheeww.

VaTECh_CL

Klep, do you have a pic of where you mounted the V1? I know where your remote display is, just not the actual unit. Are radar detectors illegal in Cali?

Smalls

is it illegal in cali?? I didnt think so.

SwervinCL

Yeah, i didnt think so either. I thought it was only illegal in virgina and dc.